Ask AI: give a 6 sentence description of the discovery of the shigella dysenteriae bacteria

In the late 19th century, the discovery of Shigella dysenteriae marked a significant advancement in understanding bacterial causes of dysentery. Japanese microbiologist Kiyoshi Shiga identified the bacterium in 1897 during an extensive dysentery epidemic in Japan. Shiga's meticulous research involved isolating the bacteria from patients' stool samples and demonstrating its pathogenicity through experiments. He observed that Shigella dysenteriae produced a potent toxin, which he named "Shiga toxin," responsible for severe gastrointestinal symptoms. This breakthrough highlighted the bacterium as a distinct cause of bacillary dysentery, differentiating it from other diarrheal diseases. Shiga's findings underscored the importance of bacteriological research in identifying and combating infectious diseases, paving the way for improved public health measures and treatments.